Page 24 of Passionate Defense

She found and plucked a loose thread from her jacket, her hands unable to remain still.

“You’ve gotta relax. Try breathing in and counting to ten.”

“You know that holistic mumbo jumbo doesn’t work for me.” She glanced sideways at him, looking good enough to eat in his heather-gray suit. “Do you think anyone would notice if we stopped the elevator and you fucked me right here? That’s the only thing that settles my nerves every time.”

Silence encompassed the car. Inwardly, Lanie cringed as she replayed her words. What had gotten into her? Ethan’s arm reached out, his long finger extended, and he pressed the stop button. An alarm sounded. Immediately, she started backpedaling.

“I was joking. Really! We can’t have sex here.”

“Sure, we can. Turn and face the wall. Grab the rail with both hands.” Always a daunting figure standing nine inches taller and outweighing her by at least seventy pounds, a stern or angry Ethan was especially menacing when he stepped closer, crowding her into the corner. Glancing up at him, she expected to see a dark cloud of anger, or at the very least irritation, but his expression was reserved, almost resigned.

“I’m sorry, Ethan.”

“Now you are. The thing you’ve yet to learn is to think before you open your mouth and spew vulgarities and sarcasm. Face the wall and grab the rail. We’ll have a quick lesson in deportment. I believe that’s what they call manners in school. You must have missed that class.”

She winced as she turned. He never yelled or raised his voice, but his tongue could be razor sharp and deadly accurate when the situation called for it. She deserved a punishment for her rude behavior, but in a public elevator?

“What if there are security cameras?”

“The guards will get an eyeful then, won’t they?”

“Ethan!”

“There are no cameras. I checked.”

Facing the wall, her fingers blanched as she gripped the brass rail. She tensed as she felt his hands slide around her waist and locate her button. Soon the zipper was undone, and he was easing her pants down. “Spread your legs so that your pants are snug around your knees. That will keep them off the floor and from getting dirty.”

Her Ethan, always so considerate. His fingers found the lace band of her panties next.

“Can’t we do this when we get home?”

“No.”

Succinct, too.

“I want you sitting on a warm, tender ass throughout dinner. Maybe it will serve as a reminder to curb that acerbic tongue.”

Her resignation that this would happen here and now quickly turned to alarm. What about the noise? She could bite her lip, or he could cover her mouth to contain her yelps and cries. But the crack of his hand on bare skin would echo loudly in the metal car and up and down the elevator shaft to every floor throughout the thirty-two-story high-rise. A good fucking would be quieter.

As she imagined the shocked and knowing glances she’d get when they stepped out of the car, she was yanked back to the present by awhooshand athwapan instant before a thin line of flames burst across both bottom cheeks.

“Holy hell! What was that?” she exclaimed, her hands flying back to soothe the sting.

A light tap on the backs of her hands accompanied his warning. “Back in position. And mind that tongue. It’s why you’re being punished, after all.”

She gripped the bar again and almost immediately another line of fire blazed across her bottom. It felt like a cane, but where on earth would he have gotten one in a freaking elevator? She sucked in a breath but had the presence of mind to keep holding on as she twisted to see what it was.

“Eyes front and be still,” he ordered sternly, his arm encircling her waist to help her stay in place. In the same low, rumbling voice, he cautioned, “You’ve earned a dozen and then we’ll talk. But if you keep moving, I’ll add more.”

Anotherwhooshandthwapfollowed, then another—with whatever evil weapon he possessed—all over her bare bottom, never striking the same spot twice. By the tenth sizzling stroke, she was up on her toes dancing.

“Hands,” he ordered when hers flew back to soothe the blazing fire he’d ignited on her skin.

She’d had enough and was torn between obedience and rubbing the burn from her flaming butt.

“Now, Lanie. We can’t hold the elevator forever. Do you want security or the fire department prying open the doors and finding you with a bright-red bare bottom? I’m okay with it if you are, but I don’t recommend it.”

An image flashed before her eyes of strapping young firefighters jockeying for position at the doors to get a look at the five-alarm blaze on her naked ass. She’d be mortified, but the men would no doubt delight in repeating the lurid tale from now until eternity.

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